SS Skanderberg recruitment poster....... original?

**Newbie** · 04-29-2012, 11:47 PM

Hey guys, i am being offered this poster........ i have a good idea this is the real deal, but other opinions are needed, please !!!!!!!! I really like it and want it! If it is real, what is a fair price? Thanks!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 04-29-2012 11:47 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Dean** · 04-30-2012, 12:09 AM

Im not an expert on these old posters but I have a feeling this may have a chance. This collecting area can be a minefield sometimes so dont take my word for it but I do like the look of it,IMO

**Adrian Stevenson** · 04-30-2012, 08:01 AM

Never seen it before. But I am not too keen on it. I don't like the print code.

Cheers, Ade.

**mpw** · 04-30-2012, 08:35 AM

I know very little about print codes of Albania but the 1944 date is correct for events of the time. Here is another similar poster with the same printing code??

SS Skanderberg recruitment poster....... original?

In February 1944 the decision was taken, following the modest success of SS Handschar in Bosnia, to raise a parallel unit inside Albania. In all 6000 were enlisted into the 21st Waffen SS Mountain Division which was the only fully ethnic Albanian division to be recruited by the Germans during the Second World War.

Regards, Mark.

**Paul D** · 04-30-2012, 09:02 AM

Certainly a cracking poster , like the others i have never seen this one before is the one you posted original Mark / Was just wondering about the difference in paper quality !

**mpw** · 04-30-2012, 07:00 PM

Not mine unfortunately. Although slightly more worn it has an identical crease which would point to them being printed and folded at the same location.

Mark.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 04-30-2012, 08:30 PM

I have real concerns over this poster. Details on the print code will usually give printers details, print run, etc. This code really makes no sense.

Cheers, Ade.

**Newbie** · 05-01-2012, 02:55 AM

Hey guys, just talked to the seller via email .......he makes a valid point, why repro or fake a poster for a Division that pretty much got no publicity ..... you do repros to make money....this Division is just to obscure......

**Adrian Stevenson** · 05-01-2012, 07:35 AM

They make repros of everything. That line of thinking is potentially dangerous.

I simply don't like the poster at all. Just look at the paper quality. I speak from experience here: wartime German posters were printed on poor quality paper akin to newsprint. Compare to my Flemish SS poster.

Cheers, Ade.

**mpw** · 05-01-2012, 08:38 AM

i agree with Ade about the print code making no sense but as a collector of posters of over 35 years dating from 1870 to 1990 one thing is for sure the quality of paper is no guide to age. I have glossy posters from the 1930's and 'newsprint' posters from the 50's. I would imagine by 1944 Germany would be printing using what ever materials they could lay their hands on. Also glossy posters are better designed to be pasted externally onto buildings posts etc and 'newsprint' posters used internally. Albania in the 1940's had few public buildings unlike northern Europe. Like most collectibles seeing is one thing but having the article in your hands is another. Just to finish here are a couple of photos borrowed from an early thread and the similarity between this and the Skanderberg poster can be seen. Printed in Austria maybe?

Mark.